Intertwined

East-London's Riva Starr joins Defected's illustrious list of House Masters as he continues to establish himself as one of the world's top DJs and producers. Growing up surrounded by the rich musical culture of Southern Italy, Starr's influences come from all over; the sounds of Africa, Greece, Spain and the Balkans are ever-present within his revered house releases. Genre-wise his approach is similarly expansive, first falling for breakbeat after years of experimentation in Naples, before exploding onto the UK fidget and deep house scene in the noughties. Years later, the Snatch! owner's epic catalogue is brimming with the very best club music this side of the millennium, unrestricted by genre convention and bursting with eclectic samples and unpredictable references. This compilation features club belters alongside deeper cuts that seamlessly mix addictive vocal samples with hard-hitting house rhythms, as well as expert remixes and collaborations with fellow industry titans. Todd Terry, Mike Dunn, Groove Armada, Jocelyn Brown, Dennis Ferrer, Green Velvet, Harry Romero; the list of legendary artists that feature in Starr's eclectic discography is as endless as it is impressive, and throughout it all the Ibiza hitmaker maintains a signature sound that is distinctly Riva Starr.

Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)

Spiller feat. Sophie Ellis-Bextor ‘Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)’ (Riva Starr Skylight Hard Dub)

Ibiza Classics

Man With The Red Face (Classic House 10 Edit) [feat. Sherifa Gunu]

Quantum Serenity

Velvet Horizon

Bassline Surge

Future Rhapsody

The Funk

Alright

Alright (Brad Carter Remix)

Presenting his long awaited full-length album, the king of disco re-edits Dr Packer graces Glitterbox Recordings with six brand new mixes alongside twelve of his rare cuts and well-loved treasures. Dr Packer’s Different Strokes features Dr Packer versions of soulful house favourites, disco standards and groove-laden floorfillers. Following two DJ mixes from Dr Packer featuring bonus tracks, the album kicks off with a bonafide classic. Dr Packer’s take on Soulsearcher’s ‘Can’t Get Enough!’ maintains all its most iconic elements, the euphoric vocals and timeless groove given a fresh-sounding elasticity. Another highlight and an album exclusive, ‘Big Love’ from Peter Heller’s Big Love is brim full of Dr Packer’s unmistakeable warmth, cowbell accents giving the groove some bump. Next is Dr Packer’s remix of The Shapeshifter’s evergreen ‘Lola’s Theme Recut’ followed by another album exclusive, Candi Staton’s ‘Hallelujah Anyway’. Ron Hall & The Muthafunkaz featuring Marc Evans ‘The Way You Love Me’ (Dr Packer Extended Remix) is the third new cut, followed by another new remix for this album, Dr Packer’s version of Johnny Corporate’s ‘Sunday Shoutin’’, picking up the pace with a funking bassline to suit any dynamic disco set. More highlights include Dr Packer’s versions of ‘When Love Breaks Down’ by The Shapeshifters featuring Teni Tinks and ‘Set It Out’ from Purple Disco Machine & Boris Dlugosch, both brand new remixes. Dr Packer has done it again – breathing new life into your most beloved dance records so you can fall in love with them all over again.

Man With The Red Face (Classic House 10 Edit) [feat. Sherifa Gunu]

Pete Tong